Cycling Weight Training For The Winter

August 16, 2012 by admin
Filed under Endurance Training

Article by Jake Austin

Cycling Weight Training For The Winter – Sports – Other Sports

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As we all know, cycling mainly utilizes the muscles of the lower body. While this is beneficial, the problem is that the upper body gets left out. Whether you are training for a sport or for fitness, having a nice balance of strength throughout the body is important. This is particularly true for those who do mountain biking, as having good upper body strength is necessary because they lift and jump heavier bikes in rough terrain.

Cycling weight training therefore should be a part of any cyclist’s program. The questions you have to ask are what type of training should you do, and when? A logical approach would be to build strength during the off-season while you aren’t actively riding, and then switch to training that is more similar to what you will endure during the peak riding season. Athletes must always be careful not to do too much training particularly during riding season, as doing so can put a lot of strain on the body.

Building strength by lifting heavier weight with a lower amount of repetitions should only be done in the off-season. Combining cycling with heavy weight training is too much for the body to handle, and will ultimately hinder performance. Whenever you lift heavy, the body is going to need time for it to recover.

Diet is critical component to getting the most out of your cycling weight training. Muscles need fuel, particularly when they are active. They need to get the necessary nutrients so they can repair themselves and get stronger. This means consuming a sufficient amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals on a daily basis. As mentioned, muscles also need a proper amount of rest and recovery so you can continue training at a high level over the long-term.

That’s why doing heavier weight training in the winter is ideal, because you have the time available for the muscles to recover. If you lifted heavy during peak season, too much stress would be placed on your muscles, and ultimately you would be doing more harm than good.

When putting together a cycling weight training program, evaluate where you currently are with your fitness and how far you believe you can push your body. It’s also important to find ways to motivate yourself during the secondary season, as doing so will allow you to get the most out of it.

While only a small percentage of maximum strength is used with each pedal stroke, weight training is beneficial because it builds bone density. This is key for cyclists because experts are finding that cycling leads to a loss of density because it’s not a weight bearing activity.

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Jake Austin